Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

The main altar has towering jade steps, with banners fluttering in the wind. The banners are engraved with the totems of the four tribes and the mountain and sea alliance patterns, which are ancient and majestic.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, a figure in a black robe slowly rose from the high platform of the main ceremony.

It was none other than Hao Cang, the chief host of this year's Mountain and Sea Alliance, the ancestor of the Hao clan, and the leader of the Eastern Yi Alliance.

His white hair was tied up with a crown, and he carried an ancient white jade tablet on his back. His vast cultivation at the late Nascent Soul stage was completely concealed, showing no intimidating pressure whatsoever. Yet, the faint lingering aura of the Imperial Ruins surrounding him suppressed the surrounding area, instantly silencing the entire noisy arena. An ancient and peaceful spiritual voice resonated throughout the entire Imperial Ruins, each word solemn and reaching the ears of everyone present.

"Now, inheriting the legacy of Shao Hao, we hold the gathering at the Imperial Ruins of Mount Tai. We establish the Mountain and Sea Alliance, select talents whose talents are suited to the land's veins, restore order to the new generation of the Eastern Yi, unite the four tribes, strengthen the land veins of Qi and Lu, and defend against external evils from all directions."

"This competition emphasizes fundamentals, moral principles, and one's true nature. It does not rely on violence or brute force to win. All participants under the age of 25 shall compete in accordance with the rules and showcase their strengths."

These few words succinctly convey the alliance's purpose. This gathering has never been a bloodthirsty arena, but rather an ancient selection ceremony that aims to weed out those who are superficial, opportunistic, and extreme in their character, and to retain true talents with a stable Dao heart and who are compatible with the Qilu region.

"In the three days leading up to the competition, irregularities and cheating occurred among various clans and sects, undermining the fairness of the event. Therefore, all the jade divination rankings drawn before this grand competition are hereby invalidated."

The moment the words left his mouth, all the jade shards in the hands of the participating disciples exploded simultaneously, crackling sounds echoing continuously. Countless shards of jade fell and covered the ground around the battle stage, and the old rankings were wiped clean in an instant.

Hao Cang lightly swept his whisk, and a radiant light rippled through the void. A strict set of rules and regulations, each word as if engraved, floated in mid-air, clear and bright, for all to read.

Complete Tournament Rules and Regulations of the Dongyi Mountain and Sea Alliance Martial Arts Competition:

The purpose of this Mountain and Sea Alliance's Grand Competition of Prodigies is to select the top new generation of cultivators in Shandong Province to protect the ancient earth veins and to choose those who will enter the Imperial Ruins Secret Realm. The competition is divided into three progressive rounds, taking into account the cultivators' cultivation level, Daoist wisdom, and moral character. All participants, regardless of their cultivation level, sect affiliation, or past ranking, will compete equally and in accordance with the rules.

Round 1: Unrestricted All-Out Battle (Preliminary Rounds)

1. This round has no cultivation level threshold and no sect distinction. The pre-match jade lottery ranking is completely abolished. All cultivators will enter the formation in a unified manner, starting a free-for-all battle across the entire region.

2. Anyone who is knocked out of the Mo Family Barrier Arena, whose spiritual power is exhausted and who loses the ability to resist, or who voluntarily admits defeat will be immediately eliminated, and their original ranking will be completely invalidated.

3. The melee continued unabated until only 120 cultivators remained in the arena, at which point the round ended immediately.

4. The 120 finalists will discard all previous rankings and be re-ranked by the alliance deacons based on their actual combat survival time, offensive and defensive performance, and overall combat strength, to determine the second round matchup list and ensure the absolute fairness of the competition.

Round Two: One-on-One Single Elimination Tournament (Securing a Spot in the Secret Realm)

1. The 120 advanced cultivators will compete in pairs according to their new rankings, with a strict single-elimination format. The loser will be immediately eliminated and will not be eligible for further events.

2. The winners competed round by round, and finally sixty outstanding cultivators were selected, all of whom obtained the qualification to enter the Ancient Imperial Ruins Secret Realm.

3. This round will only determine the winner, with no replacements, no exceptions, and no special cases. We will eliminate any interference from personal relationships and adhere to the bottom line of the selection process.

Round Three: The Ultimate Tournament (Competing for the Top Three)

1. The sixty winners of the Secret Realm slots will begin the final supreme ranking battle. The arena features three supreme platforms, where all participants are free to attack and defend, with no limit on the number of attempts or the order, competing for their spots based solely on their strength.

2. After multiple rounds of fierce battles, one final defender remained on each of the three high platforms, making a total of three top geniuses the final battle.

3. The top three competitors will face off in a real-world competition to determine the champion, runner-up, and third-place winner of this year's competition.

4. In addition to guaranteed access to the Secret Realm, the top three prodigies will also receive rare rewards from the Alliance and the blessing of the Qilu Earth Vein Luck, thus wielding supreme prestige among the new generation of Dongyi.

Core Supplementary Rules of the Competition

1. Forbidden techniques, forbidden weapons, and deadly and vicious moves are strictly prohibited throughout the entire process. Violators will be immediately disqualified from the competition, expelled from the Imperial Ruins, and never recruited again.

2. The arena is protected by both the top-tier array patterns of the Mo family and the millennium-old defense system of Haodu, sealing off any possibility of cheating, such as sneak attacks from outside the arena, remote sabotage, or external assistance.

3. The results of each round of the competition shall be jointly verified by the elders of the four clans and the elders of Laoshan, and shall be publicly announced. Once the results are finalized, they shall take effect and shall not be appealed or changed.

The ethereal light of the celestial chart slowly receded into the void.

Hao Cang gracefully lowered his sleeves and took his seat in the main position, entrusting the entire competition to the four-party enforcement team.

The four auxiliary elders appeared in response, their imposing auras suppressing the entire Imperial Ruins arena, each performing their duties with strict discipline.

The Grand Elder of the Eastern Terrace Hao Clan is in charge of adjudicating rituals and judging victory and defeat.

The venerable Hao of Xitai was in charge of criminal law and punishment, and suppressed disorder; his eyes were sharp as a blade.

Mo Shouchuan, the leader of the Mohist school in the North, dressed in plain clothes and calm, commanded the array patterns and barriers and monitored the unusual movements of the magical artifacts.

Dan Chenzi, a guest elder of the Wang family of Nantai, was dressed in a blue robe and had a gentle demeanor. He was in charge of supervising magical arts, discerning the foundation of cultivators, and observing their spiritual energy and aura.

On the nine-tiered circular jade battle platform, the Mo family's layers of barriers stretched for thousands of miles, with intricate array patterns like scales lying in the air, firmly locking down the entire chaotic battle area. Within the barriers, spiritual energy was abundant, and the aura of ancient earth veins surged continuously, awaiting the start of battle from among countless geniuses.

The clear and resounding decree of Elder Hao of Dongtai echoed throughout the land—the first round of all-out war had officially begun.

In the four-sided passageway, hundreds of participating disciples who had been waiting for a long time were carried into the venue one after another.

The first to step onto the Azure Jade Battle Platform were the direct descendants of the Hao Clan.

As the leaders of the four clans and the legitimate heirs of the alliance, the disciples of the Hao clan, dressed in moon-white brocade robes, stood tall and walked with steady steps. They had inherited the orthodox lineage of Shao Hao since childhood, possessing a solid foundation in magic and upright character, without a trace of arrogance. After entering the formation, the group dispersed and stood in their respective positions, waiting for the battle to begin, displaying the composed and dignified demeanor of a prestigious family.

Following closely behind were members of the Hao clan.

The Hao family has a long tradition of martial arts, specializing in the fierce and brutal path of combat. All the clan's disciples are clad in black iron armor, possessing powerful physiques and surging blood. With each step, the jade platform trembled slightly, revealing an open and unabashed aura of sharpness and burning fighting spirit.

The Wang family monks entered after them.

The Wang family was well-versed in the Daoist principles of earth veins and the mechanisms of magical arts, and their disciples mostly followed a mysterious and agile path. The group of cultivators in green robes moved with leisurely steps and possessed elegant demeanors, neither displaying ferocity nor ostentation. Their spiritual energy was warm, gentle, and flowed freely. Most of them chose to stand at the edge of the arena, their gazes carefully scanning the entire area, silently observing the situation from all sides.

After most of the disciples from the four clans settled in, groups of disciples from various sects in Qilu stepped onto the battle stage.

The Qilu region is dotted with numerous sects, each with its own lineage and methods. There are sword-wielding sects skilled in soaring through the clouds, reclusive sects adept at manipulating plant and spiritual energy, and martial arts sects specializing in physical cultivation and foundation building. Disciples wear diverse attire and display a variety of techniques; some are spirited and confident, swords at their waists, while others are dressed in simple clothes, their skills concealed. They possess neither the orthodox foundation of the four great clans nor the refined elegance of the Laoshan Immortal Sect, yet they have long been rooted in the mountains and fields of Qilu, diligently cultivating the local earth vein techniques, possessing rich combat experience and an untamed spirit. Upon entering the formation, they group together, forming a defensive perimeter, cautiously scanning their surroundings, intending to maneuver in the chaos and seize an opportunity for advancement.

After the disciples of the sect, they became solitary, independent cultivators of Qi and Lu.

Some were solitary figures, dressed in simple clothes and straw sandals, wandering the mountains and rivers of Shandong; others had secluded themselves in the city, cultivating in seclusion for many years, now emerging to make a name for themselves through the Alliance Tournament. These independent cultivators, without the protection of sects or the support of powerful families, relied entirely on their own hard work and struggle. Their combat experience far surpassed that of scions of prestigious clans, their attacks ruthless and decisive, unrestrained by rules or conventions. Scattered in twos and threes at the edges of the arena, they did not huddle together or deliberately take sides. Their eyes were cold and calm, deeply understanding the ways of survival in chaotic battles, waiting for the chaos to erupt so they could seize opportunities to fight for a spot in the secret realm and a path to cultivation.

The last to enter the battle were the people from Laoshan.

The twenty disciples, dressed in plain Taoist robes, were elegant and clean, untouched by the hustle and bustle of the world. Their steps were calm and graceful, and they stood out among the various clans, sects, and independent cultivators.

At the head of the group, Yun Xi walked slowly forward. She was slender and upright, with clear and aloof eyes, profound Daoist charm, and a faint aura around her, seemingly without power or influence.

In the middle of the group, Shen Yue and Ye Qing entered the arena side by side, their auras solid and powerful. At the back of the Laoshan group, Lin Yan followed the others and stepped safely onto the battle stage.

Lin Yan raised his eyes and looked down at the vast barrier arena, his gaze sweeping over the menacing figures of the four clans, various sects, and independent cultivators.

In the blink of an eye, disciples from all directions, members of various sects in Shandong, and independent cultivators from all walks of life entered the formation, with hundreds of figures scattered across the vast jade battle arena. The patterns of the void barrier lit up one after another, and the light screen blazed brightly, completely sealing off all passages inside and outside the arena.

The first round of indiscriminate, all-encompassing warfare is imminent, ready to erupt at any moment.